Draining device



Jan. 15",. 1929.

1,699,159 G. L. PITT DRAINING DEVICE Fi'l ed Aug, 2I

Patented Jan. 15, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. Y

GUY L. PITT, F ROCKY MOUNT, NRTH CAROLINA.

DBAINING DEVICE.

Application led August 2, 1927. Serial No. 210,124.

This invention relates to draining devices and more particularly to a device of this character intended for use in relieving the spigot terminals and exposed portions of pressure water lines of their charge so as to prevent theupipes from bursting during severe cold spe s. y

An important object of the invention is to provide a device of this character, which saves the water drained from` the exposed portion of the pipe instead of discharging the same into the ground, as in the ordinary device of this character.

A further object of the invention is to produce a device of this character which may be very readily and cheaply constructed and installed and "which will be durable and eiii-` cient in service and a general improvement in the art.

These and other obj ects I attain by the construct-ion shown in the accompanyingr drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention and wherein Figure 1 is a sectional view showing a draining device constructed in accordance with my invention;

`Figure 2 is Aa transverse sectional view through the control mechanism;

Figure 3 is a 'fragmentary plan view of the intake pipe showing the arrangement of the drain valve.

Referring' now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 10 generally designates a basin, 11 aspigot discharging thereinto and 12 a pressure line supplying water to the spigot and `which has the maJor portion thereof buried below the frost line.

In accordance with my invention, I bury at a convenient point beneath the basin 10 a cylinder 13having at its lower end an outlet 14 throughpwhich water may pass to the ground. Within this cylinder', a piston 15 is reciprocable and has a tight fit with the walls thereof. The rod 16 ofthe piston extends through an opening 17` formed in the top of the cylinder and through a suitable guide 18, the upper end of which extends above the upper surface of the ground to a point adjacent the water hasinand preferably to the rear of a channel 19 associated with the basin. The upper end of this rod 1s formed with a raclr 20, which is engaged by a gear 21 carried by a shaft 22 which, at the front face of the channel, has an operating handle 23. By rotating this handle, the piston may be raised or lowered in the cylinder 13. The piston rod 16 ishollow from its lower end to a pointso spaced therefrom that it is exposed above the upper end of the guide 18, when thegpiston is in its lowermost position and at this point is provided with a vent 24. A second vent is provided in the Wall of the hollow portion of the pistonrod at: 25 and this vent is just exposed beneath the top of the cylinder 13 when the piston is at the lower limit of its movement. The vents 24 and 25serve as a means for admittin air to the cylinder when the piston is lowers The vent 25 further serves as a means for conducting excess fluid from `the cylinder througlh the hollow portion of the piston rod 16 t0 t e lower end of the cylinder, where it may escape through the outlet 14 to the ground. The pressure pipe 12 is extended over the top of the cylinder 13 and provided with a` control valve 26, the stem of which extends through a stuing box 27 `into the c linder 13 and the path of the piston 15 thereo The valve 26 is normally closed and when the stem 27 thereof is engaged by the piston `15 and forced,` upwardly, is opened. Immediately adjacent the valve 26 and between this valve and the spigot, the ipe line is provided with a `connection 28 wit` the cylinder having arranged therein a normally opened valve 29, the stem of Which'likewise extends into the cylinder 13 and into the path of the piston 15. This stem preferably has a resilient terminal 30, the purposes of which will hereinafter appear. s

Assuming that the cylinder 13 is full of fluid, and the piston lowered to its maximum point, if it is desired that `water be drawn from the faucet 11the cock of this faucet is opened and the piston `15 shifted from its full line position to its dotted line position in Figure 1. The initial movement of the piston rod moves the port 25` into the guide 18, sealing thesame, so that the water forced u wardly by the piston must pass through t e connection 28 to the pipe 12. Since the pressure end of the line is cut off by the valve 26," this water Willpass to the spigot 1 1 and out therethrough. As the piston reaches the upper limit of its travel, it engages the stems of the valves 26 and 29, opening the former valve and closing the latter.` This permits the pressure water to pass to the spigot 11. If the quantity of water delivered is excessive, this may be controlled by shifting the piston 15 from its dotted line toward its full line position a short distance, permitting the valve 2G to partially close, while the resilient extremity of the stem ofthe valve 29 still maintains this valve in its closed position. During the winter, the cock of the faucet 11 can be left open at all times andthe entire control of the water supply obtained from the handle 23. This insures the admission of air to the line 12 and assists in the draining thereof. The vent provided by the hollow piston stem and vents 24 and 25 will., however, take care of this if, for any reason, the cock of the faucet 11 is closed. l/Vhen the use of the water is stopped, the handle 23 is rotated, forcing the piston 15 to the lower end of the cylinder and providing),` a space through which that portion of the pressure line lying between the faucet and valve 26 may drain. If the space of the cylinder 13 proves inadequate to drain the entire supply of this line, eXtra water will pass through the port 25 and the hollow piston rod to the lowereend of the cylinder and thus from the outlet 1li.

It will be obvious that a device of this character may be very readily constructed and installed and being very simple in its construction, will not be subject to breakage from any ordinary cause. Since the construction nhereinbefore setforth is capable of a certain range of change and modification without materially departing from the spirit of the invention, I do not limit myself to such specilic structure except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim 1. In a draining device, in combination with a faucet and a pressure feed line therefor, a normally closed valve in the pressure feed line, a cylinder, a piston therein, means for moving the piston from one end to the other of the cylinder, a connection between the cylinder and the feed line between the first named valve and the faucet, said connection including a normally open valve, stems for said valves projecting into said cylinder and into the path of said piston whereby movement of the piston toward the end of the cylinder with which said connection communicates opens the first named and closes the last named valve.

2. In a draining device, in combination with a faucet and a pressure feed line therefor, a normally closed valve in the pressure feed line, a cylinder, a piston therein, means for moving the piston from one end to the other of the cylinder, a connection between the cylinder and the feed line between the first named valve and the faucet, said connection including a normally open valve, stems for said valvesprojecting into said cylinder and into the path of said piston whereby movement of the piston toward the end of the cylinder with which said connection communicates opens the first named and closes the last named valve, the stem of the last named valve including a. resilient portion compressed when the first named valve is fully opened whereby the degree of opening of the first named valve may be regulated.

8. In a drain ing device, in combination with a faucet and a pressure feed line therefor, a normally closed valve in the pressure feed line, a cylinder, a. piston therein. means for moving the piston from one end to the other of the cylinder, a connection between the cylinder and the feed line between the first named valve'and the faucet, said connection ineludin a normally open valve, means operated by movement of the piston toward that end of the cylinder with which said connection communicates for opening' the first named and closing the last named valve and means' for admitting air to the cylinder when the piston is at the opposite end of the cylinder.

4.-. In a draining device, in combination with a faucet and a pressure feed line therefor, a normally closed valve in the pressure feed line, a cylinder, a piston therein, means for moving the piston from one end to the other of the cylinder, a connection between the cylinder and the feed line between the first named valve and the faucet, said connection including a normally open valve, means operated by movement of the piston toward that end of the cylinder with which said connection communicates for opening the lirst named and closing the last named valve, the stem of the piston being ported to admit air to the cylinder when the piston is at the opposite end of the cylinder.

5. In a draining device, in combination with a faucet and a pressure feed line therefor, a normally closed valve in the pressure feed line, a cylinder, a piston therein, means for moving the piston from one end to the other of the cylinder, a connection between the cylinder and the feed line between the first named valve and the faucet, said connection including a normally open valve, means operated by movement of the piston toward that end of the cylinder with which said connection communicates for opening the first named and closing the last named valve, the opposite end of the cylinder having an outlet port, the rod ofthe piston being ported to admit air to the cylinder when the piston is at the last named end thereof and to conduct fluid from t-he first named end of the cylinder to the last named end thereof through saidl piston.

6. The combination with a faucet, a pressure water feed line therefor, of a cylinder, a piston therein, a normally open connection between one end of the cylinder and feed line, means arranged in the feed line normally closing the feed line, means operated by movement of the piston to said end of the cylinder for closing said connection and opening the feed line, and means admitting air to the cylinder when the piston is at the opposite end thereof.

7. The combination with a faucet, a ressure water feed line therefor, of a cylin er, a piston therein, a normali open connection bet-Ween one end of the cyllnder and feed line, means arranged in the feed line normally closing the feed line, means operated by movement of the piston to said end of the cylinder for closing said connection and opening the feed line, and means for conducting fluid from the first named end of the cylinder to the opposite end thereof When the piston is at said opposite end. A

8. The combination with a faucet, a pressure water feed line therefor, of a cylinder,

a piston therein, a normally open connection between one end of the cylinder and feed line, means arran ed in the feed line normally closing the movement of the piston to said end of the cylinder for closing said connection and openin the feed line, means admitting air to the cy inder when the piston is at the opposite end thereof, and means for conducting fluid from the first named end of the cylinder to the last named end thereof when the piston is in the last named position, the last named en of the cylinder having an outlet.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

GUY L. PITT.

eed line, means operated by y 

